Devices for coupling two members together are well known. Many of these devices allow members to be coupled and adjusted to a desired position. However, existing devices suffer from many disadvantages. In many coupling devices, it is difficult to engage and disengage the coupler.
For example, in some existing devices, the coupler must be physically pressed to lock or unlock the coupler. This can be very awkward when utilizing the devices in close areas. In addition, when pressing the coupling device to engage or disengage, the existing devices tend to bind.
A device is needed which couples two members together, allows the coupler to be easily engaged and disengaged, and does not bind.
One solution to the aforementioned deficiency was disclosed by Whitley in U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,555. Whitley discloses an indexable ratchet wrench that has a splined pin that couples the ratchet head to the handle. Whitley's pin includes a plurality of spline members that are movable in the plane of the handle and ratchet head in response to rotation of an actuator. The spline members are spring loaded to a retracted position. Each spline member includes a camming surface that engages a cam lobe formed on the actuator. As the actuator is rotated about the axis of the splined pin, the cam lobes force the spline members radially outwardly from the axis of the splined pin to an engaged position. Unfortunately, the cam will eventually experience wear and provide only limited, and thereby weakened, engagement of the spline members with the splined apertures. Moreover, the plurality of moving parts held together by a spring makes the tool susceptible to jamming and misalignment.
It would be a distinct advantage to have a coupler with a spring-loaded splined pin using a minimum number of moving parts, and especially for a coupler that eliminates the need for cam lobes that are susceptible to wear, thereby ensuring a long useful life for the tool.